President Thabo Mbeki to Lead South African Delegation to AU Committee of 12 Meeting

President Thabo Mbeki, supported by Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad, will on Wednesday 21 May 2008 depart for Arusha, Tanzania where he will attend the 1st Meeting of the Committee of Twelve African Union Heads of State and Government scheduled for Thursday – Friday, 22-23 May 2008.

President Thabo Mbeki will attend the Committee of Twelve Meeting within the context of ongoing discussions within the AU regarding the political and economic integration of Africa in establishing the Union Government.  Accordingly, the Meeting is expected to consider the Report from the African Union Executive Council of Ministers following their deliberations in Arusha earlier in the month, together with the Report of the Ministerial Committee of Ten on the Union Government.

The Ministerial Committee of Ten was mandated by the Assembly at its Summit in Accra, Ghana in July 2007 to consider the following issues pertaining to the Union Government and report thereon to the AU Summit February 2008:

• Identify the content of the concept of the Union Government and its relationship with national governments;
• Identify the domains of competence and the impact of the establishment of the Union Government on the sovereignty of Member States;
• Define the relationship between the Union Government and the Regional Economic Communities (REC’s);
• Elaborate on the Roadmap together with the timeframes for establishing the Union Government; and
• Identify additional sources of financing for the activities of the Union.

Following the presentation of the Report and recommendations of the Ministerial Committee of Ten to the AU Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2008, the Assembly agreed to expand and elevate the Committee of Ten to a Heads of State level that would also include the immediate past Chairperson of the Union as well as current Chairperson of the Union to consider the matter further.

The Ministerial Committee of Ten comprised of the following Member States:

• South Africa and Botswana (Southern Region)
• Libya and Egypt (Northern Region)
• Gabon and Cameroon (Central Region)
• Ethiopia and Uganda (Eastern Region)
• Nigeria and Senegal (Western Region)

President Thabo Mbeki is expected to return to South Africa on Friday 23 May 2008.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

20 May 2008